Chapter 8 – Intelligence A Topical Approach to Life-Span Development, 7th edition John W. Santrock Chapter 8 – Intelligence Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Ability to solve problems Capacity to adapt and learn from experience Can only be evaluated indirectly Individual differences measured by intelligence tests Designed to tell whether a person can reason better than others Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Intelligence quotient Mental age divided by chronological age multiplied by 100 IQ scores approximate a normal distribution Symmetrical, bell-shaped curve with a majority of cases falling in the middle of the range of possible scores Few scores appearing toward the ends of the range Stanford-Binet Tests among one of the most widely used intelligence tests Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV) Designed for adults Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-IV) Designed for children and adolescents between 6-16 years old Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI- III) Designed for children age 2 years 6 months-7 years 3 months Overall IQ score but also yield composite scores Verbal comprehension, memory, processing speed Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Intelligence tests predict school and job success Moderately correlated with work performance Many other factors contribute to success in school and work Motivation to succeed, physical and mental health, and social skills Intelligence tests used in conjunction with other information Developmental history, medical background, school performance, social competency, family experiences, etc. Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Concept of Intelligence Gardner’s Theory of Multiple Intelligences Verbal Mathematical Spatial Bodily-kinesthetic Musical Interpersonal Intrapersonal Naturalist Individuals have each type of intelligence to varying degrees Problems with tests? AKA – emotional intelligence Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

What Causes Intelligence? Moderate correlation between brain size and intelligence Frontal lobes are likely the location of intelligence Highest levels of thinking in prefrontal cortex Brain-imaging studies reveal a distributed neural network involving frontal and parietal lobes is related to higher intelligence Temporal lobe, occipital lobe, and cerebellum also linked to higher intelligence to a lesser degree Neurological speed may also play a role in intelligence Heredity and environment contribute to brain size and intelligence Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

Development of Intelligence Considerable stability in intelligence from late infancy through preschool years Intelligence scores can fluctuate dramatically across childhood years Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

Development of Intelligence Crystallized intelligence Individual’s accumulated information and verbal skills Continues to increase across life span Fluid intelligence Ability to reason abstractly Begins to decline during middle adulthood Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

Development of Intelligence Cognitive mechanics “Hardware” of the mind Speed and accuracy in sensory input, attention, visual and motor memory, discrimination, comparison, and categorization Age-related declines likely due to biology, heredity, and health Cognitive pragmatics Culture-based “software” of the mind Reading and writing skills, language comprehension, educational qualifications, professional skills, self and life skills Improvement into old age is possible Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

Development of Intelligence Wisdom Expert knowledge about practical aspects of life that permits excellent judgment about important matters Insight about human development and life matters, good judgment, understanding of how to cope with difficult life problems High levels of wisdom are rare Factors other than age critical for wisdom to develop to a high level Personality factors, such as openness to experience, generativity, and creativity are better predictors of wisdom than intelligence Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Extremes of Intelligence and Creativity Intellectual disability Limited mental ability in which individual has: Has low IQ, usually below 70 on a traditional intelligence test Has difficulty adapting to demands of everyday life First exhibits these characteristics by age 18 About 5 million Americans fit definition of intellectual disability Varying degrees of intellectual disability Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Extremes of Intelligence and Creativity Organic intellectual disability Genetic disorder or lower level of intelligence due to brain damage Down syndrome Cultural-familial intellectual disability Results from growing up in a below-average intellectual environment Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014

The Extremes of Intelligence and Creativity Creativity often peaks in adulthood 80% of most important creative contributions completed by age 50 Researchers found creativity often peaks in forties before declining Domain-related declines where lyrical poetry, abstract mathematics, and theoretical physics experience peak of creativity in twenties or thirties Other areas experience declines much later in life Copyright McGraw-Hill Education, 2014